Merseyside Police HQ visit inspires student career paths

Eight students and recent graduates from degree programmes including Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, and Policing Studies took part in a recent visit to Merseyside Police Headquarters, hosted by the force’s Outreach team and supported by LJMU Student Futures staff.

The experience provided a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the breadth of career opportunities within the police service.

Students explored different areas of the site and met with specialist teams, including forensics, where they learned about toxicology work, and detective teams, who shared real-world investigative insights. They also heard from Detective Inspector Jay Halpin of Liverpool’s Protecting Vulnerable People’s Unit (PVPU), gaining valuable perspective on the complex and sensitive cases his team handles.

Throughout the day, students discovered a range of progression routes within the force — from Contact Resolution Officer to the Detective Constable Entry Programme — and the skills needed to succeed in each role.

Students were surprised by the variety of roles available within the police and found the insights provided about the progression routes particularly helpful, especially in understanding the requirements for each role and more about the recruitment processes.

One of the key messages of the visit was the importance of understanding the Competencies and Values Framework, which underpins recruitment across the force. Students were encouraged to familiarise themselves with this framework early to strengthen their applications.

This visit was arranged by Waf Njonjo Shaw FRSA, Careers and Employability Trainer in the Student Futures team, with students accompanied on the day by Vicky Farrall, Careers and Employability Trainer, and Karen Forman, Careers Adviser.

Support at LJMU from the Student Future team

For those considering a career with the police, or any other sector, the Student Futures webpages offer a wide range of resources to support preparations for job applications and interviews. The team also offer both online and in person one-to-one careers meetings to support you as you progress through your studies and look for placements, internships and future employment opportunities.

LJMU’s long-standing partnership with Merseyside Police

The university has a long track-record of working with Merseyside Police, through Student Futures collaborations to Police Constable Degree Apprenticeships and research projects with our experts in the Liverpool Centre for Advanced Police Studies (LCAPS).